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Blossom Trilogy #1
Blossom: Book One of the Blossom Trilogy
"Earth-shattering...An admirable debut."--Kirkus Reviews
"Between romantic tension and historical events, it's impossible to not be immersed in this story of passion and tragedy!"--Midwest Book Reviews
1906, San Francisco: On the brink of one of Mother Nature’s cruelest and most destructive tricks, lovers unite as the earth rips apart…
Combine an epic disaster with a scandalous love triangle, and the romantic result is Blossom. Chinatown fortune-cookie maker Blossom Sun is far from having anything she wants. Atop Nob Hill, socialite Clarissa Donohue is close to having everything she ever desired—that is, until her simple request for fortune cookies triggers unexpected shockwaves.
When Clarissa’s unconventional fiancé, silver-fortune heir Brock St. Clair, catches a glimpse of Blossom, his life turns upside down. Discovering how every secret has a price, Blossom faces the ultimate crossroads as San Francisco is leveled.
No one could have predicted how an earthquake, firestorm and the desires of three strong-willed families would test the strength of Blossom, Clarissa and Brock. When everything falls apart, who’ll be together? Who’s going to see tomorrow?
With love at its epicenter, Blossom’s story happens over just five days, offering a heart-wrenching portrait of those who experience both unimaginable endings and new beginnings. It’s sure to change what you know about longing, love and loss…because in extraordinary times, there are no ordinary choices.
A Cinderella story like no other, Blossom will leave you breathless.
"Between romantic tension and historical events, it's impossible to not be immersed in this story of passion and tragedy!"--Midwest Book Reviews
1906, San Francisco: On the brink of one of Mother Nature’s cruelest and most destructive tricks, lovers unite as the earth rips apart…
Combine an epic disaster with a scandalous love triangle, and the romantic result is Blossom. Chinatown fortune-cookie maker Blossom Sun is far from having anything she wants. Atop Nob Hill, socialite Clarissa Donohue is close to having everything she ever desired—that is, until her simple request for fortune cookies triggers unexpected shockwaves.
When Clarissa’s unconventional fiancé, silver-fortune heir Brock St. Clair, catches a glimpse of Blossom, his life turns upside down. Discovering how every secret has a price, Blossom faces the ultimate crossroads as San Francisco is leveled.
No one could have predicted how an earthquake, firestorm and the desires of three strong-willed families would test the strength of Blossom, Clarissa and Brock. When everything falls apart, who’ll be together? Who’s going to see tomorrow?
With love at its epicenter, Blossom’s story happens over just five days, offering a heart-wrenching portrait of those who experience both unimaginable endings and new beginnings. It’s sure to change what you know about longing, love and loss…because in extraordinary times, there are no ordinary choices.
A Cinderella story like no other, Blossom will leave you breathless.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
ebook
First published April 12, 2015
About the author
Christopher Lentz
7 books99 followersChristopher Lentz is the acclaimed author of Opening Doors (biography, 2019), My Friend Marilyn (historical fiction, 2018) and The Blossom Trilogy (historical romance). His books are about hope, second chances and outcasts overcoming obstacles. But most of all, they are about how love changes everything.
Lentz made his mark as a corporate-marketing executive before becoming a full-time storyteller.
When asked to offer a dozen things people should know about him, Lentz says he:
1) Is an author who gave Marilyn Monroe a second chance
2) Kissed the love of his life atop the Eiffel Tower
3) Lives in a haunted Victorian house
4) Earned a paycheck dressing up as Winnie the Pooh at Disneyland
5) Stands in awe of lightening, thunder and the from-scratch chocolate cake his wife whips up
6) Was born on the 6th of July, but he is a firecracker just the same
7) Loves a book that reads like a movie
8) Climbed the Great Wall of China…yes, climbed, one does not just walk on it
9) Snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef
10) Firmly believes it is not hoarding if your stuff is cool
11) Survived acupuncture, cupping (which is nothing like spooning) and a spinal tap
12) Discovered that a second chapter in life is the sweetest one
He resides in Southern California with his high-school-sweetheart wife and family. To learn more, please visit www.christopherlentz.org or www.blossomtrilogy.com.
Lentz made his mark as a corporate-marketing executive before becoming a full-time storyteller.
When asked to offer a dozen things people should know about him, Lentz says he:
1) Is an author who gave Marilyn Monroe a second chance
2) Kissed the love of his life atop the Eiffel Tower
3) Lives in a haunted Victorian house
4) Earned a paycheck dressing up as Winnie the Pooh at Disneyland
5) Stands in awe of lightening, thunder and the from-scratch chocolate cake his wife whips up
6) Was born on the 6th of July, but he is a firecracker just the same
7) Loves a book that reads like a movie
8) Climbed the Great Wall of China…yes, climbed, one does not just walk on it
9) Snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef
10) Firmly believes it is not hoarding if your stuff is cool
11) Survived acupuncture, cupping (which is nothing like spooning) and a spinal tap
12) Discovered that a second chapter in life is the sweetest one
He resides in Southern California with his high-school-sweetheart wife and family. To learn more, please visit www.christopherlentz.org or www.blossomtrilogy.com.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews, the highly regarded book reviewer and promoter, just published a critique of “Blossom.” Here are some excerpts:
– “First-time novelist Lentz weaves an effective underlying thread of suspense”
– “Surprisingly nuanced characterizations”
– “A promising start to a California-set historical romance series”
– “Overall, an admirable debut”
Here’s the entire review:
“Silver-fortune heir Brock St. Clair and Chinese fortune-cookie maker Blossom Sun meet a few days before the 1906 San Francisco earthquake in this debut title in a planned historical romance trilogy.
“Rugged, handsome Brock ventures into Chinatown to fulfill fiancee Clarissa’s request to have fortune cookies at a dinner party she’s having for fellow Nob Hill socialite girlfriends. The visit proves life-changing. While buying the cookies, Brock spots Blossom, the lavender-eyed baker. They’re instantly attracted to each other. Blossom summoned the nerve to talk to Brock as part of a dare from two Chinatown pals, telephone operator Anna Mae and high-class prostitute Monique, to flirt with the first man she sees and not allow her father and grandmother to determine her life by marrying her off to a hulking Chinatown butcher. Brock and Blossom meet several times, and she visits at his ranch on the outskirts of town. The couple is there when the earthquake hits, causing them to rush back to the city to search for survivors, and Blossom receives earth-shattering news. First-time novelist Lentz weaves an effective underlying thread of suspense into what might otherwise be a rather tame from-different-worlds romance by heading up all chapters with a note explaining just how close the historic earthquake and its accompanying “firestorm” are to upending the characters and their plans. Adding spice are some surprisingly nuanced characterizations, with Clarissa not quite the snob cliché that one would expect and artistic aspirant Blossom more of a modern woman than wilting flower. Lentz also sets up some interesting tensions, most particularly intrafamilial competition. Overall, an admirable debut.
“A promising start to a California-set historical romance series.” – Kirkus Reviews
– “First-time novelist Lentz weaves an effective underlying thread of suspense”
– “Surprisingly nuanced characterizations”
– “A promising start to a California-set historical romance series”
– “Overall, an admirable debut”
Here’s the entire review:
“Silver-fortune heir Brock St. Clair and Chinese fortune-cookie maker Blossom Sun meet a few days before the 1906 San Francisco earthquake in this debut title in a planned historical romance trilogy.
“Rugged, handsome Brock ventures into Chinatown to fulfill fiancee Clarissa’s request to have fortune cookies at a dinner party she’s having for fellow Nob Hill socialite girlfriends. The visit proves life-changing. While buying the cookies, Brock spots Blossom, the lavender-eyed baker. They’re instantly attracted to each other. Blossom summoned the nerve to talk to Brock as part of a dare from two Chinatown pals, telephone operator Anna Mae and high-class prostitute Monique, to flirt with the first man she sees and not allow her father and grandmother to determine her life by marrying her off to a hulking Chinatown butcher. Brock and Blossom meet several times, and she visits at his ranch on the outskirts of town. The couple is there when the earthquake hits, causing them to rush back to the city to search for survivors, and Blossom receives earth-shattering news. First-time novelist Lentz weaves an effective underlying thread of suspense into what might otherwise be a rather tame from-different-worlds romance by heading up all chapters with a note explaining just how close the historic earthquake and its accompanying “firestorm” are to upending the characters and their plans. Adding spice are some surprisingly nuanced characterizations, with Clarissa not quite the snob cliché that one would expect and artistic aspirant Blossom more of a modern woman than wilting flower. Lentz also sets up some interesting tensions, most particularly intrafamilial competition. Overall, an admirable debut.
“A promising start to a California-set historical romance series.” – Kirkus Reviews
September 21, 2017
Unusual book as it is written to cover just a 4 day period. I wasn't sure how that would work, but it worked very well in this case. The story was engaging, I didn't want to put it down! The story of a girl in Chinatown and a boy from Nob Hill in San Francisco in the early 1900's, before the firestorm and earthquakes. I would love to have seen the Chinatown in this book! Sad that it is destroyed at the end of the book. Hoping I can get my hands on the next two books in the trilogy! I enjoyed this one a lot!
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. I was not paid for my review in any way and all opinions are my own.
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. I was not paid for my review in any way and all opinions are my own.
January 28, 2018
3.5 stars San Francisco 1906 A chance errand down to the unfashionable but curios Chinatown to find the elusive fortune cookie for his Nob Hill Fiance sets into motion something stronger than the great disaster for Brock St. Clair
December 23, 2017
I really like this book.
January 13, 2018
I won a signed copy in a GOODREADS giveaway sponsored by the author, Christopher Lentz.
January 2, 2020
I love he brings the characters of the page
December 19, 2015
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and I really appreciate the author giving me a copy of his book to read. I hope I'm leaving my comment on the right version of the book. I am rating it three stars on the Goodreads scale of "I liked it." I am very sensitive that this is Lentz's first novel.
The book is about Blossom and Brock who fall in love at first sight. Then, over the course of five days they fall even more in love, and question the relationships they have with their currently betrothed.Tragically, on the fifth day of their relationship, a massive earthquake hits San Francisco and gets even worse when a large firebreaks out and spreads across the city. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of Victorian San Francisco that Lentz created. I actually wish there was little more of that kind of detail, because I love it so much. I would have really like to understand if there were wide-spread racism between the whites and the Chinese. I think it was touched upon, but there were so many white men sleeping with and having relationships with Chinese women that any undercurrents of that were diminished.
I really liked the characters that I wasn't supposed to like, Clarissa, Austin and Faye. . . whoops! I identified more with Clarissa than I did with Blossom. Brock and Blossom's love felt really flat and contrived to me. I don't understand the "unbreakable" connection they have. Brock seemed very self-centered and Blossom was needy and jealous with almost childlike love for Brock. It just felt very superficial to me. Ironically, I think the Lentz was trying to show us that Clarissa was the superficial one, because she came from money and was supposed to be concerned about appearances. However, I think we saw an authentic side of Clarissa. She clearly desired to make Brock happy, and tried to do that through what she thought was what he wanted. Of course she also wanted to be happy, and who can blame her, she's only human. But she was so trusting and optimistic! I just think Brock is a shitty, cowardly guy. :/
It will be interesting to see what happens in the next book. I'm not sure what direction Lentz will take this story. Blossom is of interesting lineage, and I think if there was more focus on the effects of that and her emotions I could have identified with her more and had sympathy for her. I think that this will come back in later books. This book was worth the read, and was also pretty quick.
The book is about Blossom and Brock who fall in love at first sight. Then, over the course of five days they fall even more in love, and question the relationships they have with their currently betrothed.Tragically, on the fifth day of their relationship, a massive earthquake hits San Francisco and gets even worse when a large firebreaks out and spreads across the city. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of Victorian San Francisco that Lentz created. I actually wish there was little more of that kind of detail, because I love it so much. I would have really like to understand if there were wide-spread racism between the whites and the Chinese. I think it was touched upon, but there were so many white men sleeping with and having relationships with Chinese women that any undercurrents of that were diminished.
I really liked the characters that I wasn't supposed to like, Clarissa, Austin and Faye. . . whoops! I identified more with Clarissa than I did with Blossom. Brock and Blossom's love felt really flat and contrived to me. I don't understand the "unbreakable" connection they have. Brock seemed very self-centered and Blossom was needy and jealous with almost childlike love for Brock. It just felt very superficial to me. Ironically, I think the Lentz was trying to show us that Clarissa was the superficial one, because she came from money and was supposed to be concerned about appearances. However, I think we saw an authentic side of Clarissa. She clearly desired to make Brock happy, and tried to do that through what she thought was what he wanted. Of course she also wanted to be happy, and who can blame her, she's only human. But she was so trusting and optimistic! I just think Brock is a shitty, cowardly guy. :/
It will be interesting to see what happens in the next book. I'm not sure what direction Lentz will take this story. Blossom is of interesting lineage, and I think if there was more focus on the effects of that and her emotions I could have identified with her more and had sympathy for her. I think that this will come back in later books. This book was worth the read, and was also pretty quick.
July 31, 2015
“Blossom” by Christopher Lentz is a novel of Chinatown, Nob Hill and San Francisco before and during the big earthquake of 1906. Brock St. Clair and Clarissa Donohue are to be married in less than a week. Clarissa requests that Brock go to Chinatown to purchase those darling little fortune cookies for a luncheon she is hosting for her girlfriends before the wedding. Brock finds a little shop that sells homemade cookies and meets an exquisitely beautiful young girl with violet eyes named Blossom. They meet daily in the time leading up to the earthquake and Brock is in a quandary as to his intentions to each girl. This love triangle was fraught with danger from the beginning. The snobbery of those fortunate enough to be living on Nob Hill and the poverty and gang activity of Chinatown brought a true conflict of emotions to Brock.
I enjoyed this novel very much and was able, through the author, to paint my own picture of life in both sections of San Francisco. I must say, I rooted for Blossom throughout, even while feeling sorry for Clarissa who lived in a dream world. It all came crashing down during the earthquake and subsequent firestorm and decisions have to be made. What happens at the end will, I think, surprise you.
I received a print copy of this book from NightOwlReviews.com in return for my honest review. You can find this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-gD.
I enjoyed this novel very much and was able, through the author, to paint my own picture of life in both sections of San Francisco. I must say, I rooted for Blossom throughout, even while feeling sorry for Clarissa who lived in a dream world. It all came crashing down during the earthquake and subsequent firestorm and decisions have to be made. What happens at the end will, I think, surprise you.
I received a print copy of this book from NightOwlReviews.com in return for my honest review. You can find this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-gD.
July 8, 2015
Blossom is the first book in a trilogy and opens in the spring of 1906 in San Francisco; a world of light and wonder teetering on the brink of vast changes soon to be wrought by the 1906 earthquake. It's here that socialite Clarissa Donohue stands poised for success - and here that earthquake and fire will rip apart everything she's dreamed of.
It's important to note that Blossom takes place over a period of only five days, yet packs in enough detail and transformation to make its timeline feel much longer. As chapters count down to the earthquake, events assume a vivid immediacy as secrets are revealed, family connections questioned, romance rears, and the streets of Chinatown come alive.
With such a memorable backdrop and the inevitability of disaster based on historical events, Blossom could all too easily have become a scenario of survival. The fact that much of its action takes place in the days before the quake lends to a warm, revealing story that takes its time to paint the cultural interactions and social world of San Francisco pre-quake, and Blossom Sun and Brock St.Clair's place in it, before everything changes forever. Between romantic tension and historical events, it's impossible to not be immersed in this story of passion and tragedy!
It's important to note that Blossom takes place over a period of only five days, yet packs in enough detail and transformation to make its timeline feel much longer. As chapters count down to the earthquake, events assume a vivid immediacy as secrets are revealed, family connections questioned, romance rears, and the streets of Chinatown come alive.
With such a memorable backdrop and the inevitability of disaster based on historical events, Blossom could all too easily have become a scenario of survival. The fact that much of its action takes place in the days before the quake lends to a warm, revealing story that takes its time to paint the cultural interactions and social world of San Francisco pre-quake, and Blossom Sun and Brock St.Clair's place in it, before everything changes forever. Between romantic tension and historical events, it's impossible to not be immersed in this story of passion and tragedy!
January 15, 2016
Four days prior to the Earth Quake and Firestorm of April 1906, Brock St. Clair was headed to Chinatown to buy a bag of fortune cookies for his fiance, twenty two year old Clarissa Donohue. While placing his order he took notice of the girl making the fortune cookies. Her name was Blossom and Brock was infatuated with her. As Clarissa prepares for an elaborate wedding to Brock, He grows closer to blossom!!!! THANK YOU GOODREADS FIRST READS FOR THIS FREE BOOK!!!!
January 7, 2016
Blossom was a sumptuous story that I thoroughly enjoyed, with great characters, setting, dialogue, etc... Easily a five-star book. Although I won it in a Goodreads giveaway (thank you very much!), I will buy the next two books in the trilogy as soon as possible and am quite looking forward to them. If you crave something different, well-written, and memorable, you'll love this. I highly recommend Blossom. And no, I don't know the author. :>
February 5, 2016
Really enjoyed it! Easy and fast read. Loved the way Lentz gave the countdown to the 1906 earthquake on every chapter heading. Characters were so well defined. Sweet love story and really felt the power of the earthquake.
May 19, 2016
Can't put it down
Blossom captured my imagination and I couldn't put it down!! It is an excellent read, looking forward to the next one.
Blossom captured my imagination and I couldn't put it down!! It is an excellent read, looking forward to the next one.
September 30, 2017
I couldn’t put it down. Fast paced historical fiction read. Watch out DIANA Gabaldon. Blossom was such fun and filled in so many CA history factoids.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews